Tuesday, April 25

Feels Like Love
I've never considered myself to be very creative, though I now know the writing and beading are both creative endeavors. I am blessed, though, to be surrounded by very artistic individuals.

Now that we've sold our house and bought a house in Florida, I keep envisioning our lives in the new house. In my head, I arrange the furniture and picture the new kitchen. But mostly, I try to determine which pieces of art will grace which walls.

We don't have much money, and I'll never buy really expensive pieces of art, but I have become an art snob. I look at the print Mike had when we got married, and I think that it's commercial and without much soul, and I wonder if I could slip it into the yard sale pile.


I've become a lover of things handmade. I'm quite sure our house won't feel like home until I find the perfect place to hang Aleece's fish. There's something warm and comfortable about that fish, and it says 'home' to me. I love that it's bright and bold, and I love that my friend made it and gave it to us.

Several pieces of my brother's art grace our home. I have the still life he showed in his senior art exhibit. I love the jewelry box he painted for me and the stunning painting of a couple embracing that he gave me for my birthday one year. Our bedroom won't feel complete until that painting is displayed. It's a visual testament of the love Mike and I share.

Each of my children have a piece of art from their Uncle John, too. Griff's is a sketch of his name woven into a series of crosses, and Eliza's is a wood burning of a lily (her middle name... in memory of her maternal grandmother).

They also each have a wooden angel painted and created by an artist in our church. The angels hang over each of their doorways, and I love the idea that guardian angels watch over them as they sleep. Their rooms won't be finished until the gifts from their uncle and the angels are in place.

I've asked my friend, Kate, to select a piece of her artwork for us to take with us. I want her to select something that feels like us to her. And I want that displayed in our new home. I've asked a potter in our church for a piece of his pottery. I've worked with him, and his wife has been an amazing example to me, and our Eliza adores their daughter.

We have an art wall in our house now to display the art the kids make, and I'm working on figuring out how to do something similar in our new house. I want the kids to know that creative endeavors are valuable and that whatever they make is precious.

I like to buy and display artwork that feels like love to me. I like things that remind me of people and places and events and love. I'm a lousy judge of actual artistic talent, and I'm not a lot of fun at art museums, but I have a real respect for the talent and skills that God gives to these artists.

In the ability to create exquisite works of art, I think there is also a greater hurt for the ills of this world in these artists. They are tender, compassionate people who God uses in so many ways, not the least of which is through their art.

And when we move, hanging these pieces on the walls or displaying them on shelves won't be a 'whew, we're almost done' activity. It will be one of love, a final touch to the new home we're creating.

[  posted by Chel on Tuesday, April 25, 2006  ]
[   4 comments  ]

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4 Comments:

I still haven't put up any pictures on my walls! The ones I had up north in Williams don't seem to 'fit' this house....so I will be collecting gradually too.

Thanks for you comment on my blog and I know God has people there in Florida ready for you to 'yoke up with'. I'll pray for you and can't wait to hear how it all goes!

Christie

By  Anonymous, at 4:12 PM  

it took me almost two years to hang the first picture on our walls at this current home. And now...now we're preparing to take them all down again.

I pray your move goes smoothly. I grew up in Florida :o)

I too like art that means something to me. thank you so much for sharing with us!

By  Anonymous, at 10:00 AM  

Art does make your home feel like home, feel like a place where love makes things beautiful.

Do you remember the story Edith Schaeffer tells about when her husband was in the hospital with cancer? Her son, Frankie, an artist, re-created the paintings in their home to hang at the hospital so that his Dad could feel at home and loved.

By  Kim Anderson, at 5:39 AM  

Hello. I am hostinf next week on the beauty of self control. Please pop by!
Susanna

By  Susanna, at 4:33 AM  

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